Labor accuses 'complacent' Downer over JI

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Labor is accusing Foreign Minister Alexander Downer of
complacency in trying to get Indonesia to ban the terrorist group
Jemaah Islamiah (JI).

Mr Downer heads to Indonesia today where he will press Jakarta
to ban JI, the regional terrorist network accused of masterminding
this month's Bali bombings, which killed four Australians, as well
as the 2002 Bali attacks.

Mr Downer has said that banning JI will not stop the group's
operations.

But Mr Rudd says the foreign minister should be taking a tougher
stand.

"What arguments will the Australian government be putting to the
Indonesian government in support of outlawing this terrorist
organisation?" he said.

"We don't have an answer to that yet. All we have is a series of
contradictory statements from an increasingly complacent foreign
minister who frankly has been half-hearted about banning JI given
the language he's used."

Mr Rudd accused Mr Downer of letting his political ambitions get
in the way.

"Treading warily is one thing, declaring publicly that it
doesn't matter whether JI is banned or not is another," he
said.

"That's where Mr Downer has frankly made a mess of it, made a
hash of it.

"I think that reflects a deep complacency on the part of a
foreign minister, who I think has his eye these days more on
becoming the deputy leader of the Liberal Party and treasurer than
... executing the responsibilities of being foreign minister of
Australia."

Outlawing JI will give Indonesian prosecutors more ammunition in
their pursuit of terrorists, Mr Rudd says.

"It strengthens the arm of those trying to crack down on anyone
associated with terrorist organisations in Indonesia," he said.

"It provides a clear cut legal, political and moral focus point
which assists all levels of Indonesian society to stamp this
organisation out."